Politics
Lagos LG Polls: APC Chieftain Demands Internal Democracy
An All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain in Lagos, Fouad Oki, on Saturday called on members to stand up for internal democracy during primaries for the party’s flag-bearers in the July 24 councils’ poll.
In a statement in Lagos, titled “Re-Lagos State Local Government Election: Before the Cock Crows. Need to be Truthful, Fair, Equitable and Transparent With Lagosians”, Oki also advocated internal party democracy across parties.
The APC chieftain, who decried absence of internal party democracy in the ruling APC in Lagos, said that the forthcoming councils’ poll was another test for party leaders to allow members to choose flag-bearers in the election.
According to him, elections, especially at the intra-party level, showcase the extent of the depth of internal democracy in a political party as the process of choice agreed upon by a group of people.
“I invite and urge all people of good conscience to rise up and keep a vigil on the election primary which the party will organise to choose its flag-bearers in Lagos State.
“No meaningful electoral reforms or review will be attained if collectively we do not stand up to demand for a transparent and credible internal democracy exist in Lagos, particularly from the leading political party that has created a hegemonic environment over the state,” Oki said.
He noted that democracy and popular participation in the last two decades had been facing a crisis of legitimacy and declining confidence in political leaders and institutions in the state.
The APC chieftain, therefore, called on the party at the national level to rise up and intervene on the side of probity, free, fair, transparency and a credible nomination process.
He listed conditions for the conduct of a free and fair internal party nomination process to include establishment of an all-inclusive, independent, impartial, honest and competent party primary electoral committee who would manage party primary elections.
Oki, a former vice chairman of APC in Lagos State, tasked the security agents, media, civil society organisations and other stakeholders to contribute their quotas to credible, free and fair elections.
He urged LASIEC to monitor this season of political party primaries, congresses and conventions to elect leaders at various levels of party organisation.
Oki said that the level of violence in some of the past party primaries and congresses was making it difficult for people to participate.
“LASIEC should exercise its statutory oversight responsibility enshrined in Sections 85 and 87 of the Electoral Act, 2010 (as amended).
“Political parties should be admonished that they have a clear obligation to ensure that their Congresses and Conventions are orderly, democratic and in accordance with extant legal framework, their own constitutions, and guidelines, as well as extant regulations and guidelines.
“The Commission should not stand askance and watch internal party activities and Congresses degenerate into farcical rituals and violent fiascos that threaten lives and destroy property,” he said.
He promised to set in motion all legal apparatus necessary to ensure that APC under the Caretaker Committee carry out the exercise without fear, let or favour.
According to him, no doubt, the whole state, indeed, the country is immensely interested in how events at the Lagos council elections will play out.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has extended the deadline for political parties to submit the list of candidates for the 2027 governorship and state Houses of Assembly elections from Saturday, August 8, to Tuesday, August 11, 2026.
The commission announced the extension in a statement issued on Saturday and signed by the National Commissioner and Chairman of its Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Haruna.
According to INEC, the decision followed appeals by political parties for additional time to complete the submission process through the dedicated online portal.
“The submission window, which according to the revised Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the General Election was originally scheduled to close on Saturday, 8th August, 2026, has been extended to Tuesday, 11th August, 2026,” the commission said.
In a a related development, INEC announced the suspension of PVC collection in Osun State ahead of the August 15 governorship election.
The commission said voters who applied for replacement of lost, damaged or defaced Permanent Voter Cards would have until midnight on Sunday, August 9, to print downloadable copies of their cards.
The electoral body explained that the deadline was necessary to enable it compile data on downloaded PVCs and produce final statistics on the total number of cards collected ahead of the election.
INEC said PVC collection in Osun commenced at the Registration Area level from July 22 to 28, 2026, but was extended to July 31 following complaints about large crowds and difficulties experienced by voters at collection centres.
The exercise subsequently moved to the local government level and ran from August 1 to 7.
The commission also disclosed that replacement downloadable PVCs had been made available to voters in Odo-Otin and Ife Central Local Government Areas following the theft of cards during attacks on the two collection centres.
It stressed that the stolen cards could not be used to vote.
INEC reassured Osun residents of its preparedness for the August 15 governorship election.
“The commission reiterates that the stolen cards cannot be used to vote.
“INEC reassures the people of Osun State of its readiness to conduct a free, fair, credible and inclusive governorship election on 15th August, 2026,” the statement said.
The commission said the deadline, initially set for Saturday, 8 August, has been extended to Tuesday, 11 August 2026, following appeals from political parties for more time.
INEC also announced that the window for voters who applied to replace lost, damaged or defaced PVCs to download their replacement cards will close at midnight on Sunday, 9 August.
The move is to enable the commission compile final PVC collection figures ahead of the 15 August Osun governorship election.
INEC said replacement downloadable PVCs have also been provided to affected voters in Odo-Otin and Ife Central Local Government Areas after hoodlums carted away cards from two collection centres, stressing that the stolen cards cannot be used to vote.
The commission reaffirmed its readiness to conduct a free, fair, credible and inclusive election in Osun State.
Gov. Kefas made the remarks over the weekend at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Jalingo, during the flag-off of the second phase of the Renewed Hope Medical Outreach in Taraba State, organised as part of activities marking Prof. Yilwatda’s 58th birthday.
The governor commended Prof. Yilwatda for choosing to mark his birthday by providing medical care to people in need.
“What Professor Nentawe did is a powerful demonstration of what leadership should be,” Gov. Kefas said.
He assured that his administration would continue to support initiatives that complement government efforts to improve healthcare delivery and the wellbeing of residents.
Speaking at the event, Prof. Yilwatda called on Nigerian leaders to embrace the culture of giving and use their positions to touch the lives of the less privileged.
He said his decision to celebrate his 58th birthday in Taraba State was deliberate and informed by the needs of underserved communities, particularly people who face difficulties accessing healthcare because of distance and financial constraints.
According to him, the intervention followed a needs assessment and was extended across the three senatorial districts of the state.
He said the exercise commenced on August 3 at Takum General Hospital and covered the Federal University Teaching Hospital, Wukari; First Referral Hospital, Sunkani, Ardo-Kola Local Government Area; General Hospital, Bali; General Hospital, Gembu; and FMC Jalingo.
Prof. Yilwatda said the intervention provided medical services to thousands of beneficiaries, including people who required surgical procedures.
He said sustainable national development could only be achieved when strong institutions placed Nigerians at the centre of development.
“Leadership is about service,” he said, urging political and public leaders to make giving back to society an important part of their responsibilities.
He reaffirmed his commitment to serving Nigeria and its people, saying his personal vision was to make every day of his life useful to humanity.
“Every day that I live, the vision is: let it be useful to humanity,” he said.
The Taraba State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Bordiya Buma, commended the initiative, saying it was consistent with the Renewed Hope agenda and efforts to strengthen healthcare delivery in the state.
Dr Buma said the second phase followed the successful completion of the first phase, which was conducted simultaneously in six local government areas, with two LGAs selected from each of the three senatorial districts.
According to him, more than 10,000 patients were attended to during the first phase, including people with medical and surgical conditions.
He disclosed that 327 general surgeries, 71 eye surgeries and 575 dental procedures were carried out during the exercise.
The commissioner expressed appreciation to President Bola Tinubu for the Renewed Hope Medical Outreach and thanked Prof. Yilwatda for supporting the initiative and choosing Taraba State as a beneficiary.
The Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, also commended Prof. Yilwatda for choosing Taraba State to mark his 58th birthday through a medical outreach.
Prof. Pate said making healthcare the centrepiece of the birthday celebration was significant because health affects everyone.
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